Walking In His Steps –W5 – The Passion (11-14)
Mark - Right off the top set’s the stage – Mark 1:1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah (Christos = anointed royal one – promised king), the Son of God. (God in flesh). This is the true story of Jesus the King!
Today is Palm Sunday –last week of Jesus -5 days from his death. Jesus knew the month, day, hour, second he was to die - Known as Passion Week - majority of the gospels center on his week
Jesus did not leave any doubt what He came to do– Mark 8:31He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.
Again -Mark 9:31 - He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise."
As they headed to Jerusalem for Passover - Mark 10:33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”(more details –location, by whom, the torture,ridicule,a cross… This was the plan graphic & violent truth)
Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to (implies prior existence) be served, (assumes the right to be served) but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom(purchase a person’s freedom, to be payment, a substitute) for many.”
Jesus the ransom - the substitute - he was the payment - That sets him apart from every founder of every religion – they came to live and be an example / Jesus came to die – to sacrifice - to ransom us
Understand this:The Crucifixion was not a mistake
Beneath all the controversy over who actually killed Jesus… the truth is: God planned it, and saw to it that it came to pass
This was not a sad accident - It was all planned and designed - every detail, right down to – How, where, by who, and the method / 350 prophecies fulfilled in Christ
Understand this: The Crucifixion was His mission
This was to be why he came - this was the revolution –
He predicted his death – as a strategy – not as a tragedy
Setting the Scene: The Great Jesus Tour – coming to an end -map
Galilean Ministry (55 events, 2yrs) and Judean Ministry (42 events, 1yr)
Preaching – healing the sick – raising the dead – performing miracles
Last 3 yrs Jesus had developed an incredible following – thousands!
Going to Jerusalem yearly for - Passover (1446 yrs of deliverance) The city is full - people everywhere - here comes Jesus… for the last time.
Sunday–Jesus riding a colt - prophecy -Mark 11:7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.(Many thought he would rally an army and march on Rome… shouting to the Messiah King) 8Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. (ie - Palm Sunday) 9Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, "Hosanna!"(Hbw for - Please Save us – help us, we pray - cry for help and praise - The cry for the Messiah)
1500yrs of waiting for a messiah / 300 yrs of silence from God / 100 yrs under Roman rule – was this the revolution?
9b "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" 10"Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!"(the great King is here)"Hosanna in the highest!"
He walks thru town and leaves–He and his disciplesstay in a house with friends outside the city in Bethany.
Monday -(He curses fig tree on his way into town) Busts up the temple - Flips tables, chases people out people…stirs the pot and leaves
Tuesday –(Next morning the fig tree is found dead) The Jesus buzz: what do you think he’s going to do?Cornered by religious people - He starts to teach –that God desires nothing less then everything
Wednesday / Thursday–From marriage to money - from widows to the window of heaven – from end of the age to the end of his life… Already at odds w/ the religious –Jesus addresses Pharisees – fig tree is Israel
Step by step –it’s all coming to a point –a line is being drawn - You must decide - What are you going to do with me?
The perfect storm – perfect conditions – everything spiritually, politically, religiously, morally – was building to this moment. Counting down to what he knows is to come… the cross
Let’s take a look at a few of those highlights that last week
Mark 12 - Jesus fav hobby – confronting the religious leaders- 38As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, 39and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."(Imagine the crowd –as he talked about their leaders)
The Pharisees - look how good we can be - seems impressive - and theywere looked to as guides- but added impossible rules
Longer version same event - Matthew 23:13"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees(pastors, church leaders, theologians), you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. 15"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.(Can you understand why they were ticked? Jesus exposed their heart…)
FIVE STATEMENTS – from Jesus – that last week heading to the cross
1.) Some pastors are completely lost(I am referring to the other pastor)
Someministers are hypocrites and liars –charlatans – and fakes
key word - hypocrites –and in it for selfish reasons–like to be first, the honor, the position, the titles, parking spotsperks
We like to rip on pastors – but, what about you? When your spiritual life causes you to look down on people - you become a Pharisee
Then - Mark 12:41Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. 43Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."(It blew them away)
13 boxes in the temple, some gave w/ fan fare - giving what they knew they could, she came giving what she couldn’t.
We might think he would say, “keep it, you need it - let me give to you.” But her heart was attached to it – and it was valuable
2) God counts differently than us
What’s more helpful – $1 or a $100,000 – in reality God does not count like we count - The widow had given more - the key: sacrifice
- We count how much we give – God counts how much we sacrifice
They gave out of aptitude, she was gave out of a faith attitude
- Money is not a testfor spirituality…
We often think - Wealth = God is pleased / Poor = God is mad.
- We are not to judge our spiritual life bymaterial blessings
On way out of the temple - Mark 13:1As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!" (Wonder of the world layered in Gold –Jesus says – wow! No…)2"Do you see all these great buildings?" replied Jesus. "Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."(What? This great tribute to God? Built to God’s specifics; how could he let it be destroyed?)
BTW - Exactly 40yrs later every stone was torn down–in a series of violent assaults & tremendous blood shed – by Rome
3) God does not desire buildings, but our bodies
Systems are not what He desires – he desires our life
Some things need to be torn down - even sacred things
Church traditions, even meaningful ones are never to replace our life
Jesus saw the temple as becoming a mockery of its very purpose.
When he said this, the leaders hated him - even brought it up at his trial
Disciples ask when? After describing what it will look like, He tops it off with... Mark 13:32"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. (Submission – not for him to make known – Jesus knows all things) 33Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35"Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'"
Books from 1700’s / 70’s all said when Jesus was coming - how silly they look now – I imagine ones from today will look silly in 20 yrs. Because – we do not know- Jesus was saying...
4) We are on the welcoming committee not the planning committee
This does not mean we don't study prophecy - we are not to focus on when – but are to be ready for when-ever! We will not and do not know!
You don’t need to the Ted Blair 7 book set on prophecy
Christians - Stop being so doom and gloom and just be ready
As Wed. was coming to an end…Mark 14:1Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him.
2"But not during the Feast," they said, "or the people may riot." (sacred holiday)
3While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, (does not say he was healed)a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. (not lard)She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.(Worth $40,000) 4Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume?5It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." (good point – was it a waste?)And they rebuked her harshly.6"Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.(Seems cold…)
If it was poured on our feet – we might have stopped her and said thank you but the rest should be for the poor - Our response is appropriate… for us. Because you and I are not worth it – but he is.
5) It’s all about Me! (Jesus that is)
We want life to be about us and want Jesus to help us - but Jesus is saying: Everything in life - everything you have - is about me
Onedisciple in particular had enough –Mark 14:10Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.(saw Jesus do amazing things… yet did not get it)
He was not there for Jesus, he thought Jesus was there for him
Lucifer – I want to be like God. Adam / Eve – I know better than God. Judas – I will control God - All have one thing in common - it's about me
Realize This, Jesus moves in as Lord of all or He doesn’t show up at all
He doesn’t do the consulting gig – Jesus is an all or nothing.
Your all may be a stumble and filled with questions…
All his life was moving to that one moment… Judas betrayal - the line drawn – Jesus says I am the center of it all – What will you do with me?
Thursday night - Passover meal(last supper) – they then go off to pray
Friday morning– just after midnight –Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss.
Jesus arrested - beaten & mocked –disciples scramble - trials began
During the first trial accusations flew! Mark 14:61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, (Messiahthe royal King),the Son of the Blessed One?" (God in the flesh)62"I am,” said Jesus. (Declaring divinity in shackles when it was least likely to be credible)
"And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." (And one day you will see my justice on you –
He was not empowered w/ God, filled w/ God - but fully 100% God and fully man. He was not created. God walking among us
The God of heaven, the Lord of the universe in human form arrested - The hands that made the Universe – now in chains
What was to happen could only be carried by God himself…
(furious at his claim) 63The high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he asked. 64"You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned him as worthy of death. (Jesus had to die - now!) 65Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, "Prophesy!" And the guards took him and beat him.
6-8am- drug around town to build a case against him - 7 trials total
8am- trial 7 Pilate attempts to appease crowd - beating short of death
He is sentenced to die a torturous death like a criminal…
8:30am–Jesus carries the cross as far as he can to Golgotha
9am - Stripped naked – nails driven into his hands and feet… lifted up
That piece of wood! That symbol - History has idolized it, despised it, gold plated it, burned it, worn it & trashed it
12-3pm -Darkness as the weight of the world sin rests on shoulders
3pm - Jesus cries out - it is finished! And gives up his life - and dies
6pm - by sunset he was buried in a borrowed tomb – on loan for 3 days
What happened that day? Blood flowed 7 places… for you! A Ransom!
* But there are things I can’t face… Bread pulled out & hit- Face- shame
* But you don’t now the things in my head…Thorns in his skull – Head
Our thoughts, mind, things that only you know of… ransomed!
* But you don’t understand… I’ve turned my back on him…Back - beaten to a pulp - blood flowed for you who turned your back on him
* But you don’t know what I have done where I’ve been… 4&5Hands –nailed – to cleanse us from things we have done that we regret
* And then they took his feet and pinned him to the cross… 6 & 7 Feet
– nailed –for the places you’ve gone - where you should not have been
His face, back, head, hands, feet - 7 times – 7 places… perfection... unparalleled, unmatched, unsurpassed, unequaled, unending forgiveness
How do we know this is all true?Because it did not end at a cross… At dawn Sunday morning – 3 days in the grave - History changed forever!
Jesus again & again - I must suffer,I must die,I must rise again
That violent and ugly crucifixion paid the price… vile yet beautiful - Jesus took my place… paid the price… I am free! I am ransomed!
He died so we can live –Our sins paid for once and for all, now we can know the creator - and this must be told
John 6:40 - For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day."
This is your day - this is your moment - everything in your life has lead you to this day - the cross is a line in the sand
John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were (re)born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Closer serviceWill you prayer for and invite 5 people who need the hope of Jesus?List the five on your worship guide